Revathi Advaithi appointed Flex Ltd CEO

Nasdaq listed Flex Ltd (formerly Flextronics) on Tuesday announced the appointment of Revathi Advaithi as its new Chief Executive Officer.

A mechanical engineering graduate from India's Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, 51-year-old Advaithi was also appointed to the Board of Directors at Flex, a company statement issued here said.

The global electronics manufacturer had a revenue of $25.4 billion in fiscal 2018.

"This is a time of tremendous opportunity in manufacturing as trends such as regionalisation, artificial intelligence, 5G and advanced manufacturing all combine to improve the way we live and work," Advaithi was quoted as saying in the statement.

"With locations in 30 countries and expertise in a dozen industry verticals, Flex has the necessary breadth and depth to help companies develop and launch innovative products at global scale and intelligently manage a shifting business landscape. I look forward to building upon Flex's 50-year history and strength in manufacturing," the India-born CEO said.

"The Board conducted an extensive and thorough search, considering both internal and external candidates," said Michael Capellas, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Flex.

Prior to Flex, Advaithi was President and Chief Operating Officer for the Electrical Sector business for Eaton, a power management company with over $20 billion in sales and 102,000 employees.

She also had corporate responsibility for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.

According to the statement, Advaithi began her career as a mechanical engineer in India. She then moved to the US where she started her Eaton career on the factory floor as a plant supervisor in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

Apart from the B.Tech degree, Advaithi is an MBA in International Business from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Arizona, USA.

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She currently serves as a non-executive director on the BAE Systems board. She also serves on both the executive committee and board of governors of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, and on the board of the Women's Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh.

She is a strong advocate for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education for girls, women's issues and diversity in the workplace, the statement claimed.